5 Steps for Removing Pet Urine Stains and Odors from the Carpet

Even the most well trained pets are prone to mishaps or accidents which is why every pet owner has had to deal with an “accident” on their carpet at one time or another.  Pet urine can leave stains and odors, especially in the summer, and it can also contribute to mold growth if it is not cleaned up properly.  It is important to clean up pet accidents immediately to avoid stains and eliminate the smell because it is unpleasant and will most likely cause the pet to revisit the spot.  The following are tips for removing pet urine stains from your carpet, eliminating the odor, and prevention methods.

Damages from Pet Urine

The enzymes in pet urine can seep into the carpets, which can lead to several issues such as unpleasant odors, stubborn stains, and potential health hazards. Whether you are a new or experienced pet owner, knowing the impacts pet urine can have on your home is crucial. By understanding how pet urine can affect your property, pet owners can effectively address these issues to maintain a clean, healthy, and welcoming home environment.

Potential issues that can be caused by pet urine:

• Odor: The ammonia and enzymes in pet urine can cause a strong, unpleasant odor that can be extremely difficult to remove. If the urine soaks into the carpet padding and the subfloor, this can become especially hard to remove.
• Stains: Pet urine can leave noticeable stains on carpeting. The longer it sits on the carpet without being cleaned, the more likely it is to cause permanant discoloration.
• Mold Growth: Properly removing pet urine is important to prevent mold growth. Failure to clean the area thoroughly can create a moist environment, which mold and mildew thrive in. Additionally, mold can lead to respiratory problems and other health issues.
• Carpet Deterioration: The acidity of pet urine can break down the carpet fibers, leading to faster wear and tear.
• Attracting Pets to Re-Mark: Even if the pet odor is not noticeable to humans, pets can be attracted to urinate in the same spots again.

Steps to Clean and Remove Pet Urine Stains from Carpet

Soak up the Mess

As soon as a fresh mess is discovered, put wet towels or paper towels over the spill to soak it up.  If you are using towels, run them under cool water first and then completely cover the pet stain with them because the moisture will help absorb the urine.  A heavy object should be placed above the towels or paper towels to help press them down further into the carpet.  Make sure to put a layer of plastic or aluminum foil on top of the towels or paper towels if you are using a book as the weighted object.  The towels should be left to soak the urine for about ten minutes.

If you discover the urine stain ten minutes or longer after it happens, use more towels, water, and a heavier weight that is wider than the stain to soak the urine out of the carpet pad.

Re-wet the Area

After about ten minutes, remove the weighted object and the towels or paper towels and pour cold water on the spot.  By pouring the water outside the edge of the stain and moving towards the center, you can help prevent the urine stain from spreading.  Leave the water on the stain for about one minute.

Enzymatic Cleaner

Getting rid of the urine smell is important because your pet will be more likely to revisit the area if it can smell itself and the odor is quite unpleasant, especially in the summer.  Using an enzymatic cleaner on the spot will help eliminate the odor because it can break down the proteins in the urine that cause the smell.  These cleaners can be left on the pet stain for several hours, but the process may differ for each cleaner so it is important to read the instructions on the label.

Re-cover the Spot

After treating the spot with enzymatic cleaner, repeat the first step and recover the spot with wet towels or paper towels and a heavy object.  This time, let the towels sit overnight and when you remove them the next day, the stain and the smell should be gone.

Wash or Throw Away the Towels

If you used wet towels to clean up the urine stain, either wash the towels or throw them away because they contain traces of urine which will cause your pet to go on them again.  Wash the towels immediately after using them with hot water.  If you used paper towels instead to absorb the mess, seal them in a garbage bag and dispose of them where your pet cannot find them.

Professional Carpet Cleaning

If following these steps for removing pet urine stains does not eliminate the stain or the odor, you might want to hire a professional carpet cleaning service to remove the stain.  The alkaline salts in pet urine throw off the pH of the carpet which can cause the dyes to destabilize and bleed.  A professional carpet cleaner will remove these alkaline salts to correct the bleeding and prevent stains.  The average home costs about $0.30 to $0.40 per square foot to have cleaned.

Homeowners with pets should keep a close eye on their dog or cat and if the pet has an accident on your carpet, make sure to immediately clean it up.  Urine stains can cause a horrible smell, specifically in the summer time and lead to mold growth if it is not completely removed from the carpet and the pad.  Follow these tips to remove your pet’s urine stains from your carpet or contact a carpet cleaning professional if the stain or the odor persists.

About Vince Sandri

Vince Sandri is a content writer and blogger with more than 12 years of experience. His expertise is in creating content related to disaster restoration, including information about preventing and reacting to natural disasters like flooding, water damage, fire and smoke damage, mold growth, storm damage and more.
Vince has been the main contributor to RestorationMasterFinder.com since 2014. Over that time, he has written numerous service pages and blogs for disaster restoration providers featured on RestorationMasterFinder.com. Vince has done extensive research and covered a wide range of topics relating to disaster restoration to help homeowners, business owners, and property managers better protect their property. He understands the problems that disasters like flooding, fire, smoke, and mold can cause as well as the best ways to respond to these issues to limit the damage.
Vince completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at Aurora University and his master’s degree at DePaul University. He has been writing SEO website pages, blogs, and press releases since 2012. Vince is also a musician and can be seen playing in the Chicago, IL area.